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Discussion Forum : Scriptures and Doctrine : Denominations – Biblical or not?

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PosterThread
elected
Member



Joined: 2004/11/21
Posts: 362
Tulsa OK

 Re:

Quote:

When we get to glory and stand before the Throne,
we will find God is not concerned about which
church you belonged to; He only wants to know
that you know the LORD and loved Jesus and
followed Him faithfully and served Him with
your life.

I essentially agree with what this brother says.Its all about Jesus, if you are in a denomination or out of it, if Jesus is your greatest passion and the one whom you follow as yur Lord and Saviour you are on the path leading to life everlasting. Denominations teach much about dogma and doctrine, everyone of them emphasizes certain aspects of the truth of bible or Jesus to the neglect of other truths. Jesus is the Truth, denominations often start from a man or men of God who reiscovered certain bible truths that have been laying "hidden" in the bible from lack of revelation or blindness from christians.

Emphases are good but we need to be balanced in exposision of bible truths. Luther rediscouvered justification by faith and here comes reformation of the church. Calvin goes a little deeper to rediscouver the sovereignity of God, the anabatists and baptists were enlightened about the truth about the teaching of water baptism.God raised Wesley to proclaim and spread scriptural holiness throughout the land (Great bretain) and teach about the perfect love and what a powerful revival came out of methodist movement. A century later Finney a Spirit filled man, not only experienced and saw powerfull revivals gripping whole communities and transforming the lives of thousands but he also rediscovered those sacred spiritual laws about genuine revival that blessed many in the succeeding generations. A new era of mass evangelism started with D. L Moody that brought a fresh breeze of Holy Spirit to churches throughout America and Great Bretain, stirring them to win the lost for Christ. Phoebe,Anna Whittal Smith, William Boardman, A. B. Simpson. Andrew Murray,Torrey, William Booth were Spirit filled men and women of God, part of what was called holiness movement or keswick movement who expounded with anointing resting upon them the doctrine of sanctification by faith and Holy Spirit Baptism ( or the neccessity to be filled with the Spirit).

Along these spiritual movements came restoration movements like the disciples of Christ or church of Christ and Plymouth brethren ect., even though with some divisive or exclusive tendencies still they were fervent to get back to primitive christianity of apostolic time, putting aside creeds and confessions or human traditions, they were zealous for a restoration of primitive christianity. Alas, as good or sincere their motives might have been for restoration to primitive christianity, their initiative failed. But thanks to plymouth brethren we have today rediscouvered the truth of Christ second comming as King to reign and establish a 1000 years of peace and prosperity on earth.

Not to forget men of God like David Brainerd, William Carey (called father of modern missions),Hudson Taylor who were pioneers in missions, such men like these and others like them with a similiar passion for the salvation of heathens in foreign land or homeland were trumpets of God in the wilderness calling the church to be milital and proclaim the gosple to the end of the earth in obidient to Christ's great commission to make disciples of all nations.

Throughout all these Spirit inspired movements God has been gradually restoring and recouvering the bible truths to the church.

My point is that we need to see the "whole picture" in the bible and not get stuck in denominationalism, or stuck in emphasing certain truths to the neglect of other truths that we see in the "whole picture" of the bible. We need to move forward and keep in step with the wind of the Spirit and not put God in a box.Christ is our doctrine, his became our wisdom, justfication, sanctification, redemption. He is our Devine healer, our comming King. The whole counsel of God is revealed only through Him.

I believe the way to get free of denominationalism is to be humble christian and not to let knowledge to puff us up.Jesus is the living Truth, and only in Him we can see and have the "whole picture truth", but even if we dont agree about non-essentials we should aggree on the essentials of our faith and walk in love, which is the greatest of gifts. After all the only true denomination common with all genuine christians through out history in this age of grace is CHRISTIAN. Christ in heaven will only recognize as his followers those who were like him, who partook of his devine nature and did the will of God on earth.

Our problem today is "too much knowledge about God", i believe the greatest need we have is to dig up the "old" wells and walk the old paths and after we have appropriated by faith these "old" truths in our lives and trodden the old paths of holiness we can expect for fresh rediscoveries from God's Word.

We often pray for revival and we need one, not only a revival but a continual revival, a daily Spirit filled life is the norm not the exception. Denominations have their rise, their glory and their fall from grace, movements die away or slow down often after the men of God pass away and they live their legacy and example for us to follow. The wise christian who has spiritual discerment should follow the MOVE of the Spirit and join that local Body of Christ where the presence of God is a priority and not the program. We desperatly need revival, yes, but we should not forget that in this age of apostasy and babylonian captivity God has his chosen remnant throughout denominations or out of denominations and only in their midst the real fire of God's presence in burning and will continue to burn for the glory of God till the glorious second comming of ouir Lord Jesus.


_________________
Redi

 2008/10/17 15:37Profile
AbideinHim
Member



Joined: 2006/11/26
Posts: 5185
Louisiana

 Re:

"Now I exhort you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment. For I have been informed concerning you, my brethren, by Chloe’s people, that there are quarrels among you. Now I mean this, that each one of you is saying, “I am of Paul,” and “I of Apollos,” and “I of Cephas,” and “I of Christ.” Has Christ been divided? Paul was not crucified for you, was he? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?" (1Cor.10:10-13).

Paul rebuked the Corinthian believers because they were dividing up into different groups and following after their favorite teacher. It is no different when we divide up into our various denominations. Many Christians follow after the teaching of their various denominations and not after the doctrine of Christ and the true teacher of the Church, the Holy Spirit.

Today we are saying: "I am of the Baptists", another says "I am of the Pentecostals", etc. etc. We have to see Christ as the Head of His Body (the Church). We have been called to walk in the unity of the Spirit with one another, but to a large extent the Church is divided through all of these various denominations or non denominations.

In John 17 Jesus prayed: "That they all may be one; as Thou Father, are in me, and I in Thee, that they also may be one in us; that the world may believe that thou hast sent me." (John 17:21).


_________________
Mike

 2008/10/17 15:49Profile





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